At today’s High-Level Event on Financing #AUSSOM on the sidelines of #UNGA80, co-convened by the Government of #Somalia, the AU, the @UN, & the United Kingdom, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, commended Somalia’s remarkable progress; from debt relief to UN Security Council membership, as well as the sacrifices of AU forces & partners.

He cautioned, however, that despite these gains, fragility persists, Al-Shabaab continues to threaten peace, & Somalia cannot shoulder this burden alone.

He underscored that AUSSOM will require $196 million in 2025. The AU has already doubled its contribution to the Peace Fund to $20 million, demonstrating Africa’s resolve. Yet without urgent, predictable, & sustainable financing, hard-won achievements risk being undone.

The Chairperson stressed that AUSSOM is not an open-ended mission; it is the AU’s final operation in Somalia and a bridge to full Somali ownership of its security. With adequate support, it can close the chapter of dependency and usher in a new era of sovereignty, stability, and prosperity.

He reaffirmed the AU’s commitment, noting that Somalia is equally committed, and called on the UN, EU, and all international partners to match this determination. “Together, let us ensure that Somalia’s future is defined by hope, not relapse,” he urged.

The meeting, chaired by H.E. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, brought together ministers from troop-contributing countries and partner nations supporting Somalia’s stabilisation.